My new bike is almost with me and it is a beautiful machine- completely unaltered as it has been living with Honda since birth. However, I know that there are a few little bits and pieces that I should add to it to make it even better, but I'm not sure what they are. I'm not talking a new exhaust and things like that (for the moment) but the little things like: R&G crash protectors (or any other that can be suggested) - how do these actually look, especially after you've had to drill a hole in the fairing? Tank pad Paddock stand cotton reels Tank grip pad things. Tail tidy (later addition when I get some more money) Alarm? Anything else that I've not thought of? I'm not looking at spending hundreds, just a bit to make the bike a little better/safer/more protected. I can see this modding thing getting very expensive (mmmm - carbon ) Cheers guys and gals..
Hi Stu, modding is addictive as crack, the secret is subtle but knowing when to stop haha, have a gander at some of this stuff... Speedycom*Performance*Ltd... 2008 - CBR1000RR - Honda - Motorcycle parts Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade 2008> Onwards Crash Protectors | Frame Sliders These look the mutts nutts .. Si has one fitted and they look proper slick in the flesh - deprettomoto.com - Item details specifici for bike HONDA - CBR 1000RR 08/12 - Plate kit (L) Plenty of others will be along soon with more suggestions.....................
Once you get the modding bug you wont be able to stop so, Exhaust yoshi R77 Filter Power commander and dyno set up Quick shifter Seat cowl Hugger Tail tidy Integrated rear light Silver vision bulbs HID The list is endless!
+1 probably the cheapest simplest mod you can make that will save you £££££ new rad from honda = £650. plus recovery costs. Rad guard from R&G =£60
Get your suspension set up first, it will make the biggest difference to the overall feeling of the bike. Internals on the front forks being a big one.
Radiator guard is a brilliant idea. Lee- I like the sliders that don't involve cutting the frame. They are a damn site more expensive than the R&G's though - are they that much better? I can see me getting hooked to this.
Just remember mate, its all very well adding loads of "tinsel" and stuff you dont need to make it look cool, but it adds weight and you can go overboard with add ons! Rad guard is defo essential, and it looks mint! observe!
Radiator guard ordered. Dougie - I agree about all those extra trappings. I love the way the bike looks now so I'll be keeping any mods modest but useful. I was just after things that people think are musts (guard etc) as I really had no idea. (Still like the idea of some carbon though ) Another question - is it worth getting it alarmed? I've read lots of stories about alarmed bikes getting pinched. How much will it affect insurance?
Big ass sold-secure/thatchem chain and padlock whilst being garaged will bring down insurance a bit. Because of the HISS system being quite highly rated by insurers I'm not sure how much an alarm will bring down the cost.
I suppose the great thing about the xena disk lock is you can put it in the wee pocket in your leathers and not have to lug about a massive chain when parking away from the comfort of a garage
I'm no professional but they are very sturdy, good quality and appear to be well engineered, they bolt into a bracket that is in turn bolted into the same engine mounting point as the R&G but are then also bolted to each other across the front of the bike by a solid SS bar that runs behind the radiator, they really do feel solid and the benefit of not cutting holes in the fairings made the extra cost of them justifiable. A few pics of the fitting.
I feel thats a lot of needless weight when it takes all of 1 hour to carefully bore a hole and fit a R & G bung for half the price! R & G have excellent instructional videos on how best to fit these on their website. Explore this option first before you spend more cash that could be better spend on other bits!
I understand what your saying about cost Dougie that is why i explained my reasons for fitting these and he did ask a question which i answered, with regards to weight, unless your trying to gain fractions of seconds on the track then i don't really see this as an issue as the extra weight ( which isn't that much ) you may gain from fitting these can be lost by removing the standard can and doesn't make a great deal of difference when riding on the roads anyway. Just my opinion.
fair point mate - im just a bit anal when it comes to weight, if you think about all the mods you make to the bike the extra weight does add up, and can effect the balance of the bike slightly. I must admit, I was a bit scared of cutting the fairing! but it worked out alright in the end
They look like a well thought out but of well engineered kit but what concerns me is the additional pressure put on the mounting bolt caused by the leverage of the plate during a crash that would lead to damage to the chassis threads and the bolt. Theres not a lot you can do about this without a directly mounted bobbin but the ss bar would take a little bit of the pressure by spreading it to the other side, although this could lead to both sides being damaged. Cutting the fairing and putting direct mounted bobbins would be my suggestion.
Food for thought on both the R&G and the others. I'm no speed demon and am not worried about the weight issue as shaving off a couple of seconds on the way to work isn't worth worrying about. I'll probably go with the cheaper option as, if worst comes to worst, I can always buy new fairings. Dougie, Lee, thank you both for your answers, I appreciate the help, and fantastic pictures .
After much brain-work I decided on the R&G. I trust their reliability as they seem to be the most popular. This time next week I get the bike; this is going to be thle longest week of my life!!
